


Come Find Me

by nezumechan



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Goddess Tower (Fire Emblem), Happy Ending, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Hubert von Vestra, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Slow Burn, huleth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26163640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nezumechan/pseuds/nezumechan
Summary: ‘You knew that I was looking for you today?’ Hubert wrote. Thick black inked words appeared on his skin. The ink dripped to the floor as he read the word, ‘Yes’Hubert was staring at himself in the mirror. He looked down at his chest as he felt the faint tickle on his skin as more writing appeared. Across his skin in scribbled handwriting were the words,‘Come find me’[Black Eagles Route] A ‘happier’ Hubert X Byleth Soulmate AU Oneshot where any writing or scars on their skin will appear on their soulmates body and which Hubert is completely oblivious.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 12
Kudos: 99





	Come Find Me

**Author's Note:**

> As requested by Androbella, here is a happier slow burn soulmate AU. I promise I didn’t kill off my main character this time (even though this was the perfect AU to do so). Enjoy :)

Hubert discovered the hard way that he had been born with a soulmate. He was younger than 10 years old when he felt the burning sensation of a gash forming on his right arm. He had cried loudly and dropped to his knees in agony. He lifted the sleeve of his shirt to inspect the sudden wound. His hands were trembling, and he began to panic. On his arm was a red long horizontal cut. His wound was bleeding down his arm, and he felt like he was about to pass out. Hubert scrambled to find his dearest friend.

He ran up the stone staircase of the imperial palace and found his brown-haired companion seated on a velvet cushioned couch in the palace common room. His eyes were watery, and he clutched his arm tightly trying to stop the flow of blood that was dripping off his elbow and onto the hardwood floor.

Edelgard gasped and covered her mouth. “What happened?!” 

“I don’t know!” Hubert exclaimed. 

He and Edelgard quickly raced to the palace infirmary room. The nurse was an older woman with grey hair and a white coat. She eyed Hubert’s wound curiously.

“You said you don’t know how it happened?” she asked him.

Hubert wiped his tears with his left hand and nodded his head.

A pained smile formed on the nurse’s face. She walked towards the back of the infirmary and opened a wooden cabinet full of medical supplies. She came back with a roll of gauze and another liquid for cleaning purposes. She knelt to his level and began addressing his wound. 

“Well, it’s only a theory, but I believe you have yourself a soulmate.” She said to him.

Hubert and Edelgard looked at each other confused. “A what?”

The nurse paused. “A soulmate is someone who shares a certain connection with you. That person will understand you with a deep mutual respect, and you will love each other unconditionally. It is a beautiful thing when soulmates finally meet. Although, it’s a bit uncommon for people in Fodlan to have this kind of bond so it seems that you are a unique case. It appears that you and your other half share each other’s skin, meaning that anything physical that happens to them, you will experience the feeling too.”

Hubert’s hands clenched into a small fist. “That’s not fair! Every time they hurt themselves, I’ll feel their pain?”

The nurse pursed her lips in a frown, “I’m afraid so. However, you are still very young. I wonder what kind of trouble your other half has gotten into.” 

As she was finishing her sentence, another small cut formed on Hubert’s right forearm. It was shallower than the gash he had received earlier. A thin drop of blood trickled down to his wrist. His head tilted backwards, and he shouted in pure agony.

-

Since that day, Hubert had become accustomed to waking up with thin cuts and random bruises on his skin. Edelgard was the only one who knew about his special connection. She began carrying multicolored bandages in her pocket for him.

“Whomever my soulmate is, I’m going to make them pay for all the pain they’re putting me through.” Hubert frowned.

Edelgard slapped a small purple band aid onto his cheek. “At least you have a soulmate!” she pouted. “I bet mine doesn’t even exist.”

Hubert smirked, “Maybe I should just throw myself down the stone staircase. That’ll teach them.”

Edelgard smacked the white scar on his arm. Hubert yelped in pain.

“There. Now you and your soulmate will feel that, and you can quit trying to hurt yourself.” She said with a smug grin on her face. “Besides, the nurse said that you’re supposed to fall in love with them if you ever meet one day. Don’t you want that?” 

Hubert looked down at the various colored bandages that covered his skin. “No, I don’t want to ever fall in love with someone who would hurt me like this. I’d rather be with you for the rest of my life just as my family has done for generations.”

Edelgard laughed. “You say that now. Just wait until you finally meet them. Then you can whine about all the scars they left you.”

\--

10 painstakingly long years had passed. Hubert had enrolled in the officer’s academy to serve Lady Edelgard, his closest companion, and his future empress. He was dressed in a black and gold officer’s academy uniform. Hubert made sure that the skin below his neck was completely covered. His body was marked with several scars and scratches. He dreaded the idea of having to explain to anyone about the predicament that he was in. 

He adjusted the gold collar around his neck covering a particularly long white scar that ran down the lower part of his neck to his clavicle. He remembered the day that he received the scar all too well. His neck had bled out all over his shirt as he called for help. He had nearly died that day if not for the quick actions of the palace medical team. 

Hubert absolutely detested his soulmate. He was constantly receiving wounds from battles that he never participated in. How could they be so careless to almost die? He knew nothing about his soulmate and the more scars we received, the less he wanted to know. He hoped to never meet this person.

Hubert was sitting in the back of the Black Eagle classroom. Edelgard had barely returned from a mission along with Dimitri and Claude. The other house leaders were fighting a group of bandits outside Garreg Mach when they had received aid from a band of mercenaries. Edelgard was socializing with her peers telling them the story of how she was saved by a woman with a sword. Hubert watched Edelgard from a distance and began preparing his notes.

His eye twitched when he suddenly felt like someone was tickling his skin. Hubert lowered his left arm beneath the table and carefully rolled back his sleeve. To his surprise, he was unharmed. On his forearm, he saw thin black marks in what seemed to be black ink. Somehow it had transferred over to his skin. Hubert rubbed his eyes and squinted. Perhaps he was seeing things, but it appeared as though there were words on his arm.

‘go right, hallway, staircase, turn left’

Hubert clenched his teeth. What in Fodlan’s name was his soulmate doing now? He rubbed his forearm with his gloved hand and smudged the ink on his skin. He pulled his sleeve down and continued to prepare his notes. Supposedly they were going to meet their new professor today that would be with them throughout the year. He hoped that-

Hubert flinched.

He rolled up his sleeve to find slightly darker lettering on his forearm with the same scribbled handwriting. 

‘right, hallway, staircase, left’

Hubert squeezed his left hand tightly into a fist. If his soulmate wanted to use their skin as a notebook, fine. Two could play at this game. Hubert reached for his black feathered quill and dipped it into a small pot of black ink. He scratched the last word off his forearm and wrote another word above it. He smirked, proud of his work.

‘right, hallway, staircase, right’

Hubert rolled down his sleeve once more. That’ll teach them a lesson.

Class for the Black Eagles began an hour later than the other two houses. His peers were bored out of their minds wondering if they should leave or not when their professor finally walked through the door.

“Sorry I’m late. It’s my first time being at the Garreg Mach Monastery and it took me a while to find the classroom.” The professor said.

Hubert turned around and realized his world would never be the same again. The Black Eagle Professor had short navy-blue hair. She was wearing a corset with a white collar around her neck, black shorts, and lacy stockings with knee high boots. She wore a long grey goat and had various pieces of armor on her knees and forearms. She appeared be almost the same age as her students, but the way she carried herself was unlike anyone he had ever met before. His eyes followed her curiously as she walked towards the front of the classroom. 

“My name is Byleth Eisner. I’m Captain Jeralt’s daughter. Lady Rhea has asked that I choose a house to instruct and well… Edelgard talked so highly of your house that I couldn’t resist.” She smiled at Edelgard.

Byleth continued, “I hope to get to know each and every one of you throughout the year. Our first item of business is discussing the upcoming mock battle. I have been a mercenary for hire for about ten years so you can say that I have a lot of combat experience. I am proficient in all types of weaponry, and my goal is to share that knowledge with you.”

\--

Professor Byleth spent the next month training all her students. Somehow, the Black Eagles had miraculously won the mock battle, but they were far from being ready for anything else. While the professor was incredibly skilled with the sword, her talent for magic was lacking. Therefore, Hubert, Lindhardt, and sometimes Dorthea were often pushed to the side to learn on their own. 

One weekend, Hubert had received word that the professor wanted to help tutor him in magic. He openly laughed at her but obliged in case she would be of value to Lady Edelgard’s cause. He would test her skills. 

Hubert pushed through the doors of the training grounds. Professor Byleth was dressed in her usual grey mercenary uniform and was sparring against Dorthea using a wooden sword. Hubert watched as they parried attacks back and forth. He turned around and began to walk away. She was clearly too busy for him. He felt a sudden sharp pain in his arm and his hand immediately grabbed hold of it in a sudden moment of pain. He silently cursed his soulmate. 

“One point for me, twenty for you.” Dorthea smiled. She turned her head to find Hubert about to walk out of the training grounds.

“Hubie, we were waiting for you!” Dorthea exclaimed. “The Professor is going to teach us magic.”

Hubert let out a low chuckle. “Professor, aren’t you more skilled with the sword than magic? I can’t possibly imagine what you would teach us.”

Byleth tilted her head to the side without a hint of emotion on her face. She dropped her wooden sword to the ground and held her arms in an open manner. She was completely unarmed. 

“Alright then. Show me what you can do.” She challenged him.

Hubert smirked. He slowly approached her. His hands lit up a dark shade of purple as he focused his magic. He pushed his hand forward and fired a shot of miasma at her. Byleth leapt out of the way and his attack fizzled out on the floor. Byleth conjured a small ball of fire in her right hand. She launched her fireball at him, and Hubert was unable to completely avoid her attack. The fire singed his skin between his white glove and the cuff of his sleeve. 

He noticed the way that Byleth’s face scrunched. She quickly ran up to him and held her palm up to take his hand. Hubert retracted his hand towards his chest and frowned at her. Byleth reached out and grabbed his wrist. Hubert flinched from the sting of her grip on his skin. Her hand glowed a light shade of green and his burn began to heal along with the pain. She let go of his wrist. He flipped his hand over and the burn mark had completely vanished.

“That was a fairly powerful attack. If you focus more on your aim, you should be able to annihilate your enemies from a distance.” Byleth suggested.

“Consider yourself lucky then, Professor. Next time, I won’t miss.” Hubert sneered.

\--

Another month had passed. The professor had refused to spar with him and instead judged his attacks on dummies from a distance. Every few days, Hubert discovered bruises and scratches on his body despite never fighting anyone. His soulmate was as careless as ever. 

Hubert was laying in his bed with his arms above his head. It was early morning on his off day at the Garreg Mach Monastery. The windows of his room were closed with thick black curtains and he took comfort in being alone. He felt a small tickle on his arm. He rolled up his sleeve and saw that his soulmate was using him as a notebook again. He froze when he read the black inked notes.

‘Marketplace south of dining hall’

He felt a sudden knot twist in his stomach. The marketplace was indeed south of the dining hall at the monastery. His heart began to beat more rapidly with anticipation. Did that mean that his soulmate was also a member of the officer’s academy?

Hubert rolled out of bed. He pulled on his black boots and quickly combed his raven hair. He raced out of his dormitory room and headed south of the monastery towards the marketplace.

Hubert stopped his run standing on top of the staircase of the main hall that led down to the marketplace. His hands rested on his knees and he was trying to catch his breath. He slowly realized how foolish he had been. There were dozens of people crowding the marketplace. Each stall was filled with customers and students wearing matching black officer’s academy uniforms. He was dealing with an impossible situation.

Hubert walked down the stone steps and moved between the crowds. He blended in as much as he could to not draw suspicion from any onlookers. He quickly inspected their bodies. He knew that his soulmate was covered in scars. He eyed each person’s neck looking for a hint of a matching white scar that lined his neck. It was the one scar that was nearly impossible to hide. 

Hubert was so intently focused on his mission that he did not see the small figure collide into him until it was too late. She crashed into his chest, headfirst with all the strength of a headbutt. It was enough to knock the wind out of him. Hubert grabbed hold of the other person’s arms.

“Oh. It’s just you, professor.” He said unamused. He immediately let go of her and tried to catch his breath. 

Byleth coughed in her hand trying to breathe as well. “Did you also come here to shop for spices?” she choked out. 

Hubert frowned. “No, I’m actually looking for someone right now.”

“Oh. I’m sure I saw Edelgard in the Black Eagle Classroom.” Byleth said. 

Hubert glared at her and clenched his fists. “You seem to be very close with Lady Edelgard. Should you ever pose a threat to her, I shall have to dispose of you.”

There wasn’t a hint of emotion on Byleth’s face as she responded, “I can assure you I would never do such a thing to my students. Not even you.”

“Good.” Hubert said. He began to walk away, but Byleth followed him.

“Wait! If you’re not looking for Edelgard, then who are you searching for? Perhaps I can be of assistance.” Byelth offered.

Hubert grit his teeth. He refused to tell her that he was searching for his soulmate. She would think that he had gone mad. Edelgard was the only one whom he trusted with his secret. However, having two people search the marketplace for a certain scar would help him find his soulmate faster. Hubert decided to follow his instincts. He did not particularly trust the professor, but he saw no downside to accepting her assistance either.

Hubert reached for his gold collar and peeled back the fabric with his index finger. “I’m looking for someone who has this exact scar on their neck. I’m unsure whether they are male or female at the moment.”

Hubert noticed the blood drain from Byleth’s face as if she had seen a ghost. 

“H-how did you get that scar on your neck?” she stuttered. She reached out to touch him, but he grabbed hold of her wrist.

“That’s none of your concern.” He shot back. 

Byleth pulled her hand away from his grasp and a small frown formed on her face, “Why are you looking for this person?” 

Hubert raised a questioning eyebrow at her and frowned. Her hands hesitantly reached up towards the white collar on her neck. Hubert began to think of a hundred excuses as to why he was searching for his matching scarred soulmate when he saw a familiar mess of teal hair approach.

“Professor, I’m glad I found you here!” Caspar interrupted them. He rapidly punched the air with his fists. “There’s a brawling tournament today and I want you to watch my match so I can show off those sick moves you taught me.”

Byleth sighed. “I’ll have to catch up with you later Hubert. I hope you find whomever you were looking for.”

Caspar and Byleth left the marketplace. Hubert crossed his arms standing in a crowd. He continued his search for his soulmate alone. His soulmate could be anywhere, arriving at the marketplace at any time.

-

After spending nearly an entire day of inspecting people, he found that no one in the marketplace had any unique scars on their body that matched his. Hubert groaned. He walked back to his dormitory room defeated. He kicked off his black boots and laid down in his bed to stare at the ceiling. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and the words ‘Marketplace south of dining hall’ were still scribbled on his forearm in smudged black ink.

Hubert reached for a quill on his nightstand that was resting in a pot of black ink. Frustrated, he scratched off his soulmate’s writing. Right below, he wrote, ‘Who are you?’ 

He sighed. He was spending too much time overthinking things. To think that his soulmate would actually have been at the marketplace today. Hubert felt the familiar tickle of ink on his skin. His looked down at his forearm and saw that his soulmate had crossed off his question. Hubert was appalled. The audacity of this person. 

Hubert twirled his quill between his fingers and paused. Perhaps he was not asking the right questions. Below the inked words, he wrote in small letters, ‘were you at the marketplace today?’

It was worth a short. Hubert waited for a response. After an hour of checking on his forearm, he gave up. His closed his eyes and opted for a nap. 

Hubert woke up to the tickling feeling on his forearm. He rubbed his eyes and raised his left arm to his face for a better look. His eyes shot open. In faint black lines, he could make out a distinct word.

‘Yes’

Hubert nearly rolled off his bed in his leap to reach for his quill. He had so many questions that he wanted to ask his soulmate. He could not believe that all this time, he could have just written on his arm, to communicate with the other person. Hubert noted how his soulmate was only writing one-word responses. He needed to choose his questions carefully.

‘The marketplace at the Garreg Mach Monastery?’ he wrote beneath her answer.

‘Yes’ 

His heart skipped a beat. His right hand was trembling. So, she was at the monastery. He looked at his skin and noticed how he had quickly run out of space on his forearm. Hubert frantically searched his body for more space. He pulled his black coat over his head and tossed it over the edge of the bed. He tugged off his white undershirt. He would need a bath after this, but he could think of no better place that would be hidden from sight and still give him room for questions.

‘Are you a student?’ he wrote across his pale stomach in black ink. Hubert flinched. His gloved hand reached up and touched the pulse of his neck with two fingers. He pulled back and there was ink stamped on the pads of his gloved fingers. He sat up and walked over to the mirror to see what his soulmate had written.

‘No’ 

Why would his soulmate write their response on the scar of his neck? Hubert froze in a sudden realization that hit him like a brick to the face. On his stomach he wrote in bold letters,

‘You knew that I was looking for you today’

Thick black inked words formed on the back of his hand. The ink dripped and trailed down his wrist. 

‘Yes’

Hubert was staring at himself in the mirror. He looked down at his chest as he felt the faint tickle on his skin as more writing appeared. It was written softer on his body. Across his bare chest in scribbled handwriting were the words,

‘Come find me’

Hubert’s heart skipped a beat. He gently set down his quill on the table beside his bed. He positive that his soulmate knew who he was, so why make him search? He continued to stare at his chest in the mirror. He noticed that the inked words on his soulmate’s last message were curved slightly… almost as if their skin were also curved.

Hubert immediately covered his mouth with his hand. His cheeks lit up in a dark red blush. It was at that moment that he realized that his soulmate was a woman.

\--

The next day, Hubert woke to find that all the ink on his chest and hand had been washed away from his skin. His soulmate had likely bathed while he was asleep. Hubert finished dressing in his officer’s academy uniform ready for class. He would accept his soulmates challenge of finding her. He just needed time to come up with a clever scheme to do so.

Hubert entered the black eagle classroom early morning. Edelgard was the first one to arrive. She was sipping tea from a white porcelain cup and nearly spit out her drink upon seeing him.

“Hubert, what happened to your face?” Edelgard coughed.

Hubert frowned. “My face?” He lightly touched his skin with his index finger. His white gloved hand had a stamp of ink printed on it.  
Dorthea and Byleth entered the classroom. Byleth had an unusually large band aid on her face and for the first time, he saw her crack a smile as she let out a small laugh. Dorthea grinned widely and she failed to contain her happiness.

“Aww Hubie, how cute! Did Edie do that to you?” Dorthea gushed.

Dorthea passed him a compact mirror that he quickly snatched from her grasp. He looked at his reflection in the tiny mirror. On his cheek was a black inked heart with an arrow going through it. Hubert’s face immediately lit up bright red. He quickly wiped off the ink with his hand, staining his white glove black. 

Hubert was fuming. How dare his soulmate make a mockery of him, and in front of Lady Edelgard no less. He was positive that his soulmate was laughing at him somewhere in the monastery, thinking that she was so clever. No one would question her for having a heart on her face. He could only hope that her cheek was as smudged with black as his pale skin was.

“Professor, did you hurt yourself?” Edelgard asked.

Byleth blinked a few times and placed a hand over her band aid. “Yes. There was a brawling tournament yesterday and I missed my step. I’ll be fine though, thank you.”

Hubert huffed. He wished that he had a band-aid as large as hers to cover the embarrassment on his skin. He walked out of the black eagle classroom to go wash his face.

\--

The next few months proceeded as usual. The Black Eagle House was sent on constant missions. Each time, Hubert found himself full of scratches and bruises despite only firing long ranged attacks at his enemies. The Black Eagles had encountered a formidable opponent during one of their assignments, the Death Knight, a man with black skulled armor. Half the team split to fight the dark rider who sat proudly on as black horse. They were led by the professor. The other half picked off enemies under Edelgard’s leadership. Hubert was fighting against a hooded mage next to Edelgard when he felt a sharp cut form on the side of his waist. 

He nearly toppled over from the pain. He stuck a gloved hand beneath his shirt and pulled away to inspect the damage. His entire hand was printed in blood. He was about to ask Linhardt for help when he winced as he felt the tear in his skin begin to close. He lifted the bottom of his shirt to see that his wound was no longer open and bleeding. He was extremely confused. Could it be that his soulmate had learned healing magic after all this time of constant battles?

Hubert kept quiet about his healed scar. After the battle, he told Edelgard that the blood on his hands were from his enemy and was thankful that she believed him. 

Hubert went back to his dormitory room to rest. He removed his shirt to inspect the wound that his soulmate had caused. There was a thin white scar, but the gash was completely healed. Hubert gently wiped the stained blood off his skin when he noticed something else. He was surprised to see black inked letters. 

Directly above his new scar was the word ‘sorry’.

Hubert’s heart squeezed itself. He had been too selfish to realize that every wound he had received on his skin, his soulmate had experienced first-hand, from the slash across his neck, to every miniscule scratch on his body. He reached for the quill on his nightstand and dipped it into the ink pot. Below her writing, he wrote ‘Are you okay?’

Beneath his question was the word ‘Yes’ in thin black ink. 

Hubert sighed in relief. He found himself feeling torn. The only person he had ever cared about was Lady Edelgard. He would go through great lengths to have her ambitions come true and make any sacrifice for her above himself. Yet here he was, caring about a stranger that he had never met before and did not know much about. Hubert thought that he would ask her how she had gotten that new scar, but instead found himself writing something completely different across his stomach.

‘Do you prefer tea or coffee?’

A simple question, but if he was really going to find his soulmate, he needed to know more about her. On his left wrist, he felt the familiar tickle of ink trailing his skin.

‘Tea’

On his stomach below his question, she also wrote ‘I’ve never had coffee’. 

His heart skipped a beat. He asked her another question ‘What kind of tea?’

On his right wrist in poor handwriting, she wrote ‘Cinnamon’. 

Hubert blinked a few times in surprise. He also enjoyed cinnamon tea, though not as much as he enjoyed his dark liquid in the mornings.

Hubert’s foot twitched. He laughed uncontrollably as he felt something tickle him and he yanked off his boot. On his foot in black ink she wrote ‘will you make me coffee?’ 

Hubert felt a small blush creep across his cheeks. It was clearly a trap. He had no idea who she even was, and yet she was boldly asking him for a favor. However, no one had ever taken any interest in him like that and he was baffled at the possibility.

Hubert frowned. He could not accept her invitation and yet he did not want to decline it either. Hubert lifted the fabric of his pants. He wrote on his ankle, ‘I still don’t know who you are’

She wrote back on his other calf in black ink ‘I know’. On his stomach she wrote ‘Chocolate or Vanilla’

Hubert was taken aback. What a strange thing to ask. On his bicep he wrote ‘Chocolate’. He wrote back to her on his stomach, ‘Favorite Hobby?’ 

He was not surprised when she wrote the word ‘sparring’ on the side of his waist. That explained the constant scars. She enjoyed fighting. 

Hubert and his soulmate continued to write each other messages on different’ parts of their body, asking and answering questions that would help them understand each other better. They were simple questions. Do you prefer sweet or sour, what is your favorite book, favorite color, etc. Little by little, Hubert began to learn details about his soulmate while also divulging small bits of information about himself. 

Hubert was laying down with his arms extended, half-dressed and holding a quill in his hand. Nearly every spot on is body was covered in black ink, including his face. He had the word ‘goodnight’ printed across his forehead in black ink and he knew it was going to take forever to wash everything off. He was trying to catch his breath as he smiled to himself. He could not remember a time when he felt this exhilarated from talking to someone. For the first time, he looked forward to the day that he would be able to meet his soulmate face to face.

\--

Hubert was in the Black Eagle’s classroom aiding Lady Edelgard in preparing a plan for the battle of the eagle and the lion. He was drawing out a map of Gronder Field on the chalkboard in great detail with an arm behind his back. 

Edelgard eyed him curiously, “You seem happier than usual.”

Hubert continued his drawings, “I apologize. I feel the same as I always do.”

Edelgard squinted her eyes, “No, you’re different. Your face doesn’t have those usual frown lines today, like you’ve been smiling a lot lately.”

Hubert sighed, “It appears as though my soulmate has decided to make contact with me. Let’s just say it hasn’t been entirely unpleasant.”

“You finally know who they are?” Edelgard gasped. 

Hubert frowned, “Unfortunately, I only know a handful of details. My soulmate is a female at the monastery, but she is not a student. She enjoys cinnamon tea while she reads books on the teachings of Seiros. She is also quite skilled in healing magic.”

“That sounds like Flayn.” Edelgard said. 

Hubert stopped writing. He and Edelgard stared at each other as an awkward silence passed between them. It did make sense. She was a skilled healer. The professor had barely asked her to join a house a day ago. She was also a devout follower of the teachings of Seiros. However, his soulmate enjoyed sparring. Flayn did not appear to be a fighter, but then again, he didn’t know her that well.

“You didn’t ask for her name?” Edelgard questioned.

“It seems she wants me to find out on my own. She does, however, know who I am.” Hubert said.

“Who knows who you are?” a voice interrupted.

Hubert dropped his chalk. He turned around and realized that Professor Byleth had listened into the final part of their conversation.

“My teacher, do you believe in the existence of soulmates?” Edelgard asked.

Byleth approached them, “I’m not even sure what that is. I actually came here to invite the two of you to lunch with me.”

Edelgard flipped her hair backwards with a gloved hand. “A soulmate is someone who you share a special connection with. I have heard that some soulmates are colorblind, and when they see that person, their world begins to glow. There’s also cases where soulmates can share pain.”

Edelgard continued. “Not everyone has a soulmate, but we were told that people with soulmates will end up falling in love with each other.” 

Byleth raised an eyebrow, “What an interesting concept. So, you think that Hubert has one?”

Edelgard looked to Hubert. He was not completely comfortable divulging the information with their professor, but curiosity also got the better of him. He had nothing to lose by letting a secret slip. It would be the ultimate test of trust. Hubert nodded his head and bent down to pick up his chalk from the floor.

Edelgard sighed, “Professor, my dearest friend shares his soulmate’s pain and he’s doesn’t even know who they are. I know you may not believe in the concept of being connected to someone like that, but would you be able to offer any advice?”

Byleth was paused and placed a hand beneath her chin in thought, “It sounds really romantic. That would probably explain why Hubert has that scar on his neck.”

Edelgard took a step backwards, “How did you know about that?”

Hubert coughed into his hand, “I may have accidentally showed the Professor when I went searching for my soulmate in the marketplace.”

Byleth continued, “Perhaps you can try getting to know this person better. It’s possible that they don’t trust you as much as you probably don’t’ trust them. That’s why you haven’t met that person yet.”

Hubert turned around, “Professor, people tend to avoid me, and I’d like to keep it that way. Trust is not in my nature.”

A small frown formed on Byleth’s face, “Well, whomever your soulmate is, I’m sure they don’t mind your stark personality. They would be lucky to be around you.”

Byleth’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she turned on her heel waving her hand, “Please consider joining me for lunch you two.”

Hubert and Edelgard watched as Byleth exited the Black Eagle classroom. 

“Do you think the Professor has a soulmate?” Edelgard asked.

“I’m quite positive at this point.” Hubert said. “She’s constantly surrounded by her students. It’s probably one of them and they’re just too oblivious to figure it out.”

He turned back to the chalkboard and continued with his battle plans.

\--

The Black Eagles had been victorious in the battle of the Eagle and the Lion. The Golden Deer and the Blue Lions were greatly outnumbered as Byleth had been busy asking other students to join the Black Eagle House. It had been a genius play on her part. Although their classroom was now becoming full, the Black Eagles were now the most unstoppable force at the monastery. 

Hubert had decided to continue searching for his soulmate. Edelgard had mentioned Flayn being a perfect candidate who matched most of his descriptions. Hubert spent the new few days curiously watching Flayn from a distance. He noticed how the only exposed skin on her body was her hands and her face. Even if she did have matching scars, he would not be able to see them, especially since her long green hair covered her neck where a most prominent scar would be. 

Hubert decided to draw a black inked star on the back of his hand. He covered it with his white gloves and checked frequently for smudges. It was still there. Hubert stared at Flayn in the back of the cathedral with his arms crossed over his chest. She was in choir practice along with the other students. He was studying her intently to see if she had the same star on her hand. If she were his soulmate, she was doing an excellent job ignoring him.

“You know, Seteth isn’t going to appreciate you following his sister around.” A voice said.

Hubert jumped in his seat and clutched his chest. Byleth towered over him holding a book beneath her arm and a cup of tea. When had her footsteps become so silent?

“I’m just trying to learn more about our new classmate.” Hubert said.

Byleth sat down next to him and slowly sipped her tea, “That’s not what I think.”

Hubert huffed, “Why are you here anyway?”

“I need to choose a champion for the White Heron Cup.” Byleth answered calmly. “I don’t think Seteth would approve, but I know that Flayn would be a good candidate.”

Hubert looked at the book in her lap. ‘A History of Fodlan’. He was not sure what else he was expecting her to be reading. Her tea however, had a pleasant aroma. She was wearing steel fingerless gauntlets on her hands as if she were going to battle. His professor did enjoy sparring with her students…

Hubert blinked out of his daze when Flayn finished with choir practice and approached them.

“Professor! I was wondering if you’ve chosen anyone for the White Heron Cup?” Flayn asked excitedly. 

She raised her fists to her chest and Hubert did not see any traces of ink on her skin. He quickly peeked beneath his white glove and saw that the star he had drawn was still intact. He frowned to himself. Of course, his soulmate was not Flayn. She had been careful to avoid him ever since he arrived at the monastery. Soulmates were supposed to be drawn to each other by nature.

Byleth raised her cup of tea. “I have not chosen a participant. Would you like to represent the Black Eagle House and lead us to victory? Unless of course Hubert wants to represent out house?”

Hubert’s glared, “Not in a million years Professor.” 

He noticed the wide smile that formed on her lips as she tried not to laugh. It made his heart skip a beat and he quickly turned away feeling the sudden reddening of his cheeks. 

“Yes, I would love to represent your house! Will you please help me practice?” Flayn asked. 

Byleth nodded her head and stood up. She smiled at Hubert fondly “Enjoy your morning.”

\--

The night of the ball had approached sooner than expected. Since Lady Edelgard had plans on attending, he would be there as well to watch over her. Hubert had not heard from his soulmate the entire month. He wondered if she was ignoring him. Every question that he would write on his skin was either washed off or replied with the word ‘busy’. He could only assume that she was no longer interested in him. He tended to have that effect on people. The worst part was that he was unsure of what he did wrong. The scratches on his skin appeared less frequently and any deeper scars were almost immediately healed. Her ever growing skill in healing magic was able to completely erase the newer scars that formed. 

The night of the ball, Hubert quietly dressed in his black officer’s academy uniform. He pulled on a clean pair of white gloves. His raven hair was combed in his usual fashion covering half his face. He sighed. The only reason he was going to the ball was to make sure that Lady Edelgard did not get hit on by any unsuitable suitors. He would protect her at all costs.

Hubert felt the skin on his forearm tingle. He slowly pulled back his left sleeve. 

‘Will you be at the ball?’

Hubert frowned. After all this time, this is how she started the conversation? He plucked his quill from the ink pot and wrote down a small ‘Yes’ below her question. 

In a matter of seconds, he felt a response as black inked words appeared below his writing. 

‘Meet me at the goddess tower at midnight’

Hubert dropped his quill. His heart was beating so rapidly he had to sit down and calm himself. She wanted to meet him. He was going to finally find out the identity of his soulmate. Hubert quickly re combed his hair with trembling hands. He had never been more nervous in his entire life. 

Hubert caught up with Edelgard at the ball. She was wearing an elegant red gown and her white hair was pinned in a bun. There were dozens of students already waltzing the night away.

“I didn’t think you would show up.” Edelgard said to him. “Though, that explains why so many men asked me to dance.”

Hubert bowed in apology, “Lady Edelgard, I have news. My soulmate wishes to meet with me at the Goddess Tower tonight.”

Edelgard gasped, “How exiting!” 

“I will be leaving at midnight. In the meantime, please do not get into trouble.” Hubert said.

Edelgard laughed, “Don’t scare away too many suitors.”

On cue, a student asked Edelgard to dance. Hubert glared at the boy who guided Edelgard to the dance floor. Hubert snuck into the shadows of the reception hall. Midnight could not come fast enough. He watched as Edelgard danced gracefully across the ballroom floor. In the corner of his eye, he noticed their Black Eagle Professor failing to blend in with the students. She was wearing her usual grey mercenary uniform. As expected, many students asked her to dance. Hubert could not shake the feeling of being touched. It sent a chill down his spine. 

Finally, the clock was reaching close to midnight. Hubert soundlessly disappeared from the reception hall and made his way to the Goddess Tower. He walked up the stone staircase and waited alone noting how other couples were already together. Their happiness was sickening, and yet here he was, hopelessly waiting for a stranger to meet him there. Hubert leaned over the iron railing of a cobblestone balcony and peered out into the night sky. The stars twinkled at him and the moon cast a bright light into the dark tower. Perhaps that was why so many couples saw the appeal.

Hubert waited for a while. He saw a familiar face walk up the stone staircase to the Goddess Tower. Hubert frowned. She was always popular with her students. It was possible that one of them had the nerve to ask her to meet them there. Hubert approached her. She looked pleasantly surprised to see him, which made him even more suspicious. 

“Here for a tryst, Professor? I won’t interfere.” Hubert said.

“A what?” Byleth asked. 

“You have arranged to meet someone here at the Goddess Tower, have you not?” Hubert asked.

Byleth looked deeply into his eyes. “I have.”

Hubert’s heart skipped a beat and the smooth rhythm turned into a rapid crescendo. His palms began to sweat, and he felt unusually nervous being around her.

He pursed his lips together as he asked, “Who are you waiting for?”

“My soulmate.” She answered. “Unfortunately, he doesn’t know who I am and… I don’t see him here so I’m at a loss.”

Hubert exhaled a breath that he did not realize he was holding. Something was off about her response. He could tell that she was lying, but he could not pinpoint where or for what purpose. All he knew was that she could not possibly be his soulmate. He did not know enough information about his professor to compare facts against his soulmate. To be fortunate enough to share a bond with the professor who was adored by everyone was simply inconceivable. 

“I am in the same predicament, Professor.” Hubert said. “I know not the identity of my soulmate, and I fear that I have scared her away with my cold, calculating demeaner. To think, she wanted to meet me at the Goddess Tower of all places. It feels as though fate has played some twisted game with us; to run into each other here and neither of our soulmates be present.”

“The Goddess tower is the perfect place to meet though, no? I’ve heard the rumor that if you and the person you care about make a wish on the night of the ball, it’ll come true.” Byleth said.

Hubert laughed. “Is that why you’re here professor? To make a wish with your soulmate who didn’t even bother showing up?”

Byleth bit her lip. “I did.”

“Let’s hear it then. What is your wish?” Hubert asked with the most sarcastic tone he could manage. 

Byleth’s black heels clicked along the cobblestone floor as she walked over to the balcony. She leaned her arms against the railing and looked out into the sparkling night sky.

“I wish… my soulmate would think more highly of himself. I also wish that he would open his eyes and see what’s right in front of him.” 

She looked over to him. “What would you wish for… if your soulmate was here with you?”

Hubert carefully studied Byleth. Her blank expression showed the slightest hint of curiosity. He noticed the gleam in her bright indigo eyes and suddenly found himself at a loss for words. Had her eyes always been so bright? Hubert shook his head from his thoughts. He walked over to the balcony and leaned his arms against the iron railing. He looked at the moon above and the millions of stars that dotted the night sky.

Hubert sighed. “I wish… that my soulmate would be more careful to not get injured in battle. I wish that she finds happiness, even if it turns out that she wants nothing to do with me.”

Byleth smiled warmly at him. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Don’t think that way. I’m sure she would be more than happy to be with you.”

Hubert let out a low chuckle. “You’re only saying that because I’m your student. Your soulmate is a fool for not meeting you here. However, thanks to their cowardice, I was gifted with an opportunity to speak with you.”

Hubert pushed away from the railings and bowed. “Thank you, Professor. I should be heading back to the ball now. Goodnight.” 

He walked down the stone steps of the goddess tower, leaving Byleth to stand alone on the balcony. He felt defeated and upset that his soulmate was not there to meet him. However, the night was not a total loss. He was grateful to the professor for easing the pain that he felt in his heart. At least she was not as frigid as his soulmate was.

\-- 

The next day, Hubert had decided to give up on his soulmate and the idea of them being with him. He needed to focus on serving Lady Edelgard. He blatantly ignored her messages on his skin. He had felt betrayed that she had asked him to meet him at the Goddess Tower and then not show up. Any ink that tickled his skin was immediately washed away, just like his respect for her. He was a fool to think that she had wanted to be something more than just scars on his skin. To think that he might have considered a stranger to be his friend was simply irrational. Hubert continued to live out his normal life and had refused to tell Lady Edelgard what happened at the night of the ball

The next mission that the Black Eagles were sent on ended in tragedy. An unknown enemy had assassinated Captain Jeralt. Seteth had to take over teaching their class that week. He was a lot stricter than Professor Byleth. He forced Linhardt to stay awake during the lectures and criticized Lady Edelgard’s beliefs about the Church of Seiros. He even asked Bernadetta to read book passages out loud and her face paled as if she were ready to pass out from anxiety. When they asked about where Professor Byelth was, Seteth only said that she was dealing with a personal matter. 

Later, Edelgard explained that the professor had locked herself in the captain’s quarters. She said the professor was a mess and had been re-reading her father’s old journals on the floor. Hubert frowned. He did not particularly hate her, but he was not much for condolences either. 

He somehow found himself awake early in the morning, wandering the monastery grounds holding two porcelain mugs of coffee. It was still dark outside when he headed up the staircase to the corridor of offices. Hubert twisted the doorknob to the captain’s quarters and found that it surprisingly unlocked. The only light in the room was from the moon that shined through the stained-glass window casting rainbows onto the floor. Beneath the light sat the Black Eagles Professor with a leather book in her hand. Her hair was unkept and she had dark purple rings beneath his eyes.

She heard his footsteps and her eyes widened as she began to stand. Hubert raised his hand to stop her. 

“You look terrible.” He said.

Byleth frowned and covered her face with the journal, sitting back down. He was sure that he was the last person she wanted to see. Hubert quietly approached her and sat down next to her on the floor, leaving space between them. Without looking at her, he stretched out his arm and passed her a mug of coffee. Byleth hesitantly took it from his hands.

She took a slow sip and her face scrunched together. “Please don’t tell me I just drank poisoned tea.”

Hubert could not help but laugh. “No, professor. This is coffee. It’s supposed to taste bitter.”

Byleth took another sip of the hot liquid, “I’ve never had coffee before.”

Hubert brought his mug of coffee to his lips and took a sip. Why did her words seem strangely familiar? Byleth mumbled a small thank you into her mug. She seemed so vulnerable that it made his heart ache. 

“I realize that Lady Edelgard has already spoken to you. We… miss you.” Hubert said. “Seteth is tormenting our class with lectures about the church.”

Byleth let out a small laugh, “I know. I planned to return to class today. I just needed one more night here.”

Byleth looked up at the ceiling. “You know, my father raised me to be a mercenary early on in life. By the age of 11 I was already skilled with the sword. In his journal, he wrote how proud of me he was. I just can’t believe he’s gone.”

Hubert continued to drink his coffee. “I cannot imagine what you must be feeling. The only people that I have ever cared about is Lady Edelgard and my unknown soulmate who leaves me with nothing but misery. To lose either of them would be devastating.”

“Would you include me on that list of people you care about?” Byleth asked, sipping her drink.

Hubert felt his cheeks begin to redden. “Perhaps.” He said. “Consider the coffee as a thank you, for easing my pain at the Goddess Tower last week.”

A small smile crossed Byleth’s face that melted his cold heart. He stood up and his hands were trembling ever so slightly.

“Well, I must be going now. I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to avenge your fathers murder.” Hubert said. 

Byleth quietly thanked him and he rushed out of the captain’s quarters without another word.

\--

The next month, The Black Eagles had hunted down the enemy to avenge Captain Jeralt. Hubert had received minor cuts in battle, but nothing serious. Again, his wounds healed themselves more quickly. He realized that his soulmate had become better at healing magic than before and he silently thanked her for being more careful. 

Professor Byleth on the other hand, was not careful. The enemy challenged her to attack and in anger, she charged straight into the enemy’s trap. He watched helplessly as she vanished into a dark black portal. The enemy laughed at her for a moment as the Black Eagles froze, unsure how to handle the situation. Then out of nowhere, their professor had ripped through the fabric of space with mint colored hair and emerald eyes wielding a flaming sword of the creator. He watched as she tore through the enemy with a new type of power that was almost godlike. When the battle was won, she dropped to the floor and Edelgard carried her off the battlefield. 

Lady Rhea had explained to the Black Eagles that their professor had been gifted with the power of the Goddess. Their class had been invited to a special ceremony to commemorate this event. However, Lady Edelgard had other plans. She had taken the professor with her to Enbarr and come back to the monastery as the new Empress of Adrestia. Hubert was incredibly proud of her, but he realized that there was work to be done.

Hubert excused himself from class the entire month. His soulmate constantly left him message on his skin asking ‘where are you’, in which Hubert ignored. He was busy traveling across Adrestia, sending out letters, bribing nobles, and executing traitors. In a fight against an uncooperative noble, Hubert had missed his spell and a sword had grazed him across the cheek. Hubert fired back and ended the noble’s life with his miasma. He wiped the blood off his cheek with a handkerchief and felt the familiar tickle of writing along his arm.

Hubert rolled up his left sleeve. ‘Are you hurt?’ Unfortunately, Hubert did not have anything to respond with. He removed his white glove and stamped his finger with the blood from his cheek. He lightly scratched onto his arm using the nail of his finger. ‘No’. 

He felt the wound on his cheek begin to sizzle as his soulmate healed their shared wound. Beneath his bloody handwriting she wrote in black ink 

‘Liar’. 

Hubert laughed to himself. So, his soulmate cared about him after all.

\--

Hubert returned to the monastery on the day of the holy tomb ceremony. Unfortunately for the Archbishop, he and Edelgard had other plans. They attempted to steal the crest stones in the holy tomb and denounce the church. However, no matter how many times Edelgard pleaded with her classmates to not interfere, they fought back anyway. Hubert and Edelgard were no match for the professor and her goddess powers and the dozens of students that followed her lead.

Hubert was standing next to Edelgard who had been wounded in battle. They were face to face with Rhea and Professor Byleth.

“Kill them!” Rhea shrieked.

Hubert held onto Edelgard. In the Professor’s Emerald eyes, he was sure he saw full intent to murder them. His heart was about to beat out of his chest when their professor raised her sword at him. Then, Byleth did something completely unexpected. She turned around and pointed her sword at Rhea and the church. He and Edelgard were completely shocked. They had fully expected their professor to betray them. 

“My teacher… I thank you.” Edelgard said with a pained tone.

Hubert bowed low, “Words cannot properly express my gratitude, Professor.”

That is when the archbishop went berserk. In a flash of green, her body convulsed and shifted into a massive white beast. The three took a step backwards. Hubert could not help but laugh. The Church of Seiros was finally showing their true colors. He quickly grabbed hold of Byleth and Edelgard. He forced dark magic through their bodies and warped them away from the battlefield.

\--

Hubert, Edelgard, and Byleth prepared for war. The black eagle students had all willingly agreed to side with the empire. Hubert was thankful to each and every one of them for fighting alongside Lady Edelgard in her cause to bring justice to Fodlan.

The day that they planned to attack the Garreg Mach Monastery came swiftly. Hubert was dressing in his tent early morning when a horrid thought crossed his mind. His soulmate was likely on the other side of the battlefield waiting for the Imperial Army to attack. There was a chance that he would have to fight her on the battlefield. He shuttered at the thought. What would happen if she were to be slain in battle? Would he also lose his life? What if he was the one to accidently cause her destruction? He needed to warn her. Hubert pulled out a quill from his small bag of belongings. He reached for a pot of ink and rolled up his sleeve.

Below his wrist, he wrote in small letters, ‘We are going to war against the church.’

Hubert waited a moment. He could only hope that his soulmate read the message. After a few minutes, he felt the tickle of ink on his skin. 

‘I know’, she replied.

Hubert’s hand was trembling as he wrote across his arm, ‘I don’t want to fight you.’

Below his words, she wrote back, ‘Don’t worry’

Hubert laughed out loud. Don’t worry? They were about to shape the history of Fodlan and tear down an entire religion. Hubert needed to survive this battle to continue to serve Lady Edelgard. He no longer had the luxury of playing these games with his soulmate. This was a matter of life and death now and he would not risk her losing her life on the battlefield.

Hubert swallowed. Across his arm, he wrote ‘What is your name?’

“Hubert, we’re leaving now.” Edelgard called out. 

Hubert dropped his quill to the floor. Time was up. He could only hope that his soulmate was not on the battlefield. He felt the faint tickle of ink on his palm beneath his white glove, but he no longer had a change to check his skin. He exited the campground and joined Edelgard.

\--

The Black Eagle Strike force attacked the outskirts of the Garreg Mach Monastery. Under the leadership of Professor Byleth, they were able to strategically attack the enemy forces. Hubert had avoided encountering any female soldier on the battlefield as a precaution. He focused on eliminating everyone else. Hubert felt thin cuts form on his skin. His soulmate was definitely on the battlefield fighting. 

Hubert continued to follow orders from Byleth. They defeated Seteth, Flayn, Catherine, and Cyril in battle. There were a few church soldiers left on the battlefield and Hubert could only hope that his soulmate had retreated to a safe destination. The Black Eagles faced Rhea who was standing at the gates to the monastery. She was outnumbered. 

Professor Byleth raised her flaming sword with her right hand and pointed it at Rhea. “It’s over.” 

Rhea grit her teeth. “No. It is you will suffer for your betrayals!” 

Rhea’s body convulsed again as she transformed once more into the Immaculate one, a white beast with razor sharp fangs. Her roar shook the very ground that they stood on. The Immaculate One began to charge a beam of light within her mouth. Byleth was standing right below the beast. She lowered her sword, unsure what to do. Rhea fired an attack and Byleth leaped out of the way, narrowly avoiding it.

The monastery began to crumble. Imperial and church soldiers alike screamed out “Retreat!!!!” The Black Eagles ran down the staircase as fast as they could. The walls of the scaffolding came apart as Rhea charged another beam of light. Byleth was standing too close to the Immaculate One. She tried to sprint away from the enemy, but the debris from the crumbling building hit her in the leg at full speed. She lost her footing and tumbled to the ground, scraping her elbow on the floor. The sword of the creator flew from her hands just out of her reach. Byleth’s left arm stretched out to try and grab it, but she could not move from the ground.

Hubert was frozen. As he watched her fall, he felt the wound from the brick that hit her in the leg. He felt the tearing of his skin from when she scraped the ground. His eyes widened when he saw the black ink on her left hand and on the skin of her forearm where armor normally covered. The constant wounds, her skill in healing magic, her love of sparing, the band aid on her cheek, her words at the goddess tower; It all made sense. How could he have been so blind all this time?

A large chunk of the monastery wall was collapsing. Hubert was brought back to reality. He tried to run towards her, but the injury that she had experienced from the debris that hit her leg brought him to his knees. His bone was fractured, and fell to the floor, unable to walk. There was no way that she would be able to escape with that kind of injury.

Hubert had never felt so helpless in his entire life. “Professor! Take cover!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. 

He saw a pained smile form on her lips. She pointed to her left hand that was smudged with ink. Hubert peeled off his glove to read the markings on his palm expecting to see her name. His eyes widened and his heart shattered into a thousand pieces. In thin black inked letters were the words

‘I love you.’

The chunk of wall from the monastery came crashing down onto Byleth and the Immaculate one. 

Hubert’s world went black.

\--

Hubert awoke gasping for air. Edelgard was by his side and immediately wrapped her arms around him. 

“I thought I lost you.” She cried.

Hubert frantically looked at his surroundings. He was laying down in the infirmary at the monastery. There were wounded imperial soldiers laying in beds as well as some of the Black Eagle strike force members. All except one.

“Where’s the professor?” Hubert asked.

Edelgard frowned. Her lip quivered as she tried to find the right words. “We don’t know.”

Hubert froze. He remembered how part of the monastery had collapsed on her. “What do you mean you don’t know?” he asked.

Edelgard shook her head. “We never found her body. You have been in a coma for a month. Your leg was shattered, and you were covered in bruises. We thought you weren’t’ going to make it.”

Hubert’s lifted his trembling hand and looked at it. The ink on his palm was smudged beyond readability. He closed his fist. 

“She’s not dead.” Hubert said confidently.

“How can you be certain?” Edelgard asked. 

Hubert held his left fist over his heart. “She is my soulmate.”

\--

Hubert had spent nearly every day searching for Byleth as the war against Fodlan raged on. It was difficult trying to lead the army when the thought that she might be alive somewhere was constantly eating at the back of his mind. As Edelgard waged war, he forced himself to get up in the mornings, and pretended like everything was okay. 

He remembered a time when she wrote ‘Come Find Me’ across his chest. At the time, he thought she was just playing a game of cat and mouse with him in a flirtatious taunt. He did not realize that he would actually be searching for her.

Hubert would often write ‘Where are you?’ in black ink on his forearm. The ink on his skin never smudged. He would write the question on various parts of his body and leave it there for days. He would wait for a response that would never come, but still he had to try. Every time he bathed, he would write more messages.

‘Please answer me’, ‘I know you’re alive’, ‘The Black Eagles miss you’, ‘Edelgard needs you’, ‘I need you’ ‘I’m sorry’, ‘I miss you’, ‘I love you’

He began to wonder if she really was dead and their soulmate connection was broken. It was maddening not knowing, and he was filled with bitter regret. He had treated her horribly at the monastery. He threatened her life on a regular basis, and yet she never shied away from him. She had even learned healing magic to deal with the constant wounds from her battles and had never once complained that she was in pain. Every conversation they ever had replayed over in his head. How could he have been so oblivious? The worst part of the entire situation was that he had finally discovered who his soulmate was, far too late. He had so much that he wanted to say to her. He remembered the writing on his palm. ‘I love you.’ He was so blind, and now he would never know what could have been.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
*~* 5 Years Later *~*  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hubert pulled on a pair of white gloves and adjusted his white collar to cover the scar across his neck. Today was the day of the millennium festival, or what should have been. The Black Eagle Strike Force had agreed to meet back at the monastery. Beneath his coat, his entire body was covered in ink from every message he had written to his soulmate. Hubert wrote one last note on his forearm in black ink out of habit.

‘We are at the monastery.’ 

He knew that she was not going to reply. He was not sure why he bothered. Hubert found himself wandering the monastery halls. His comrades had all agreed to meet in the cathedral before the sun set, and yet he was heading in the other direction, feeling a sudden urge to go towards the goddess tower. Hubert made his way up the stone staircase wondering why he was drawn to that location. He had not been there since the night of the ball. Hubert reached the top and froze.

Standing alone near the balcony was a woman with mint green hair and emerald eyes. She was wearing a tattered mercenary uniform. The sun illuminated the shine from the black ink that covered nearly every part of her exposed skin with every word that he had written. Her expression lit up when she saw him.

Hubert was speechless. He must be imagining things. His eyes were wide in shock and his lip quivered as he tried to speak. 

“You got my messages.” Hubert choked out. 

Her boots clacked loudly on the cobblestone floor as she approached him. ‘You found me.’

“I searched everywhere for you.” His voice shook in disbelief. “Where have you been all this time?”

Byleth looked down. “I was asleep.”

Hubert laughed in disbelief, “For Five Years?”

Byleth looked up at him with a sorrowful expression, “I’m sorry.”

Hubert’s heart ached. “No, I’m the one who is sorry. I wish I could have found you sooner, and not just when you were asleep. I was too blind to realize you were right in front of me the entire time. When I finally figured out that it was you who was my soulmate, it was too late. There was so much I wanted to tell you.”

Byleth smiled warmly at him. “You already did tell me everything.”

Hubert was confused. She reached for his wrist and carefully peeled the white glove off his left hand. She held his hand palm up and compared it to her palm next to him. Their hands had matching markings. In black ink, he had written the same words that she had left him with all those years ago, 

‘I love you’

“I realize it’s been five years for you, but for me, it feels only a day has passed.” Byleth said. 

She looked up into his lime green eyes and she bit her lower lip, “Do you still feel that way about me?”

Hubert was speechless. He wanted to say so many things to her. ‘Yes, of course, always’. Instead the silence was longer than he had intended it to be.

Byleth frowned, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ask… you probably found someone else-“

Hubert’s cut her words short as he captured her lips in a kiss. He pulled her closely to him and her arms wound around his neck. Hubert’s entire world blossomed as he finally made contact with his soulmate. Their connection came to life as every movement of their lips brough an amplified sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He felt whole as he held his entire world in his arms.

They pulled their faces away breathless. Their faces were flushed from the intense moment.

Hubert smiled genuinely at her. “I meant every word on your skin. I… love you. I am sorry it took so long, but… I am truly happy that I have finally found you.” 

Byleth nuzzled her head into his chest. “Thank you for never giving up on me.”

Hubert laughed. He rested his chin on top of her head and held her tightly in his arms. He could stay this way forever with his soulmate perfectly fit into his embrace. Then, he remembered that the Black Eagles were waiting in the cathedral. 

Hubert gently pulled her apart from him. He reached for her hand and her fingers intertwined with his. “Come now, your students will be excited to see you.”

Byleth nodded her head and smiled. The soulmates walked hand in hand down the staircase of the goddess tower.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't realize this oneshot would be so long. I just love Huleth so much lol.


End file.
